Wisconsin Basketball Unveils 2025-26 Roster with Surprising Jersey Number Changes—Who’s on the Rise?

Tulsa transfer guard Braeden Carrington (No. 0)

AI-assisted summary
• Wisconsin basketball announced its 2025-26 roster after an offseason with significant player departures.
• Returning players John Blackwell, Nolan Winter, and Jack Janicki will lead a team bolstered by several incoming transfers.
• Notable transfers include Austin Rapp, Andrew Rohde, and Nick Boyd, who will join a strong freshman class.
• The new roster combines returning talent, experienced transfers, and promising freshmen, creating a deep and potentially competitive team in the Big Ten.

Temple transfer forward Elijah Gray (No. 6)Wisconsin basketball unveiled its official 2025-26 roster on Tuesday.The release follows a busy offseason of turnover. The program bid farewell to a terrific departing senior class of All-American wing John Tonje, starting center Steven Crowl, starting guard Max Klesmit, bench leaders Carter Gilmore and Kamari McGee, and depth forward Markus Ilver following the 2024-25 campaign. It also saw freshman point guard Daniel Freitag, veteran forward Xavier Amos and others enter the transfer portal.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinionWisconsin complemented Blackwell and Winter in the starting lineup with former Portland forward Austin Rapp, former Virginia wing Andrew Rohde and former San Diego State guard Nick Boyd. It then rounded out its rotation with former Tulsa guard Braeden Carrington and a late-cycle addition in former Temple forward Elijah Gray.

Wisconsin basketball offseason roster additions

Freshman guard Zach Kinziger (No. 4)

• Recruiting Ranking: Three-star transfer (No. 481 overall, No. 117 shooting guard)
• 2024-25 Averages: 26.8 minutes, 7.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.1 steals per game. 35% shooting, 33.6% from 3

Freshman guard Hayden Jones (No. 13)

• Recruiting Ranking: Four-star transfer (No. 72 overall, No. 18 point guard)
• 2024-25 Averages: 29.9 minutes, 13.4 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.9 assists, one steal per game. 41% shooting, 35% from 3

The Wisconsin Badgers have shaken things up big time heading into the 2025-26 season. After waving goodbye to a standout senior class that included the stellar All-American wing John Tonje and other core contributors, the roster faced a serious makeover. But don’t blink — the Badgers aren’t just rebuilding; they’re reloading. Only three key players return from last year’s squad — John Blackwell, Nolan Winter, and Jack Janicki — but with a dynamic mix of impactful transfers like Austin Rapp, Andrew Rohde, and Nick Boyd, plus an impressive crop of freshmen stepping onto the scene, this team looks loaded with potential. It’s a blend of seasoned talent and fresh legs that could very well make Wisconsin one of the deepest, fiercest competitors in the Big Ten. The offseason buzz? It’s real, and it’s just getting started. LEARN MORE

• Recruiting Ranking: Four-star (No. 123 overall in class of 2025, No. 20 shooting guard, No. 3 from Wisconsin)

Freshman center Will Garlock (No. 23)

• Recruiting Ranking: Unranked
• 2024-25 Averages: 19.7 minutes, nine points, 3.8 rebounds per game. 48% shooting, 30% from 3

As a result, the program returns just three major contributors from its strong 2024-25 lineup: guard John Blackwell, forward Nolan Winter and guard Jack Janicki. Although the returning group is small in numbers, they are poised to lead a lineup that projects as one of the best in the Big Ten. That reality is due to their status as some of the conference’s best, as well as to an impressive transfer cycle from Greg Gard and his staff.

• Recruiting Ranking: Four-star transfer (No. 265 overall, No. 68 shooting guard)
• 2024-25 Averages: 30.9 minutes, 9.3 points, 2.9 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.2 steals per game. 43% shooting, 41% from 3

Portland transfer forward Austin Rapp (No. 22)

• Recruiting Ranking: Unranked (international signee)

Virginia transfer wing Andrew Rohde (No. 7)

• Recruiting Ranking: Four-star transfer (No. 269 overall, No. 49 power forward)
• 2024-25 Averages: 33 minutes, 13.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.5 blocks per game. 40% shooting, 35% from 3

Freshman forward Aleksas Bieliauskas (No. 32)

• Recruiting Ranking: Three-star (No. 211 overall, No. 32 center, No. 6 from Wisconsin)

That group of five transfers combines with a strong incoming freshman class to create one of the deepest and most talented teams in the conference. For more, here are the 2024-25 season averages and recruiting rankings for each of the program’s new additions.

• Recruiting Ranking: Unranked (international signee)

San Diego State transfer guard Nick Boyd (No. 2)